Dallas with Kids: Museums, the Zoo, Gardens and Parks Families Love

Dallas is a good city for children if you plan around the heat and the hours. The big attractions are close to downtown, several family events are free, and there are plenty of parks for burning off energy between them. This guide uses each place’s own visitor information.

The big three

• Perot Museum of Nature and Science — Timed-entry tickets. Plan 2 to 3 hours; closed Tuesdays through April 7, 2027; parking $15.
• Dallas Zoo — From $18, varying by date; children 2 and under free. Reserve online; parking $15; open 364 days a year.
• Dallas Arboretum — Paid admission and parking. 66 acres, including the 8-acre Children’s Adventure Garden.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science

The Perot Museum uses timed-entry tickets and says the average guest spends two to three hours, so pick an entry time that leaves enough before closing. Parking in its main lot, under the Woodall Rodgers Freeway, costs $15 per vehicle and is first come, first served. The museum is in the Arts District, close to the Dallas Museum of Art and Klyde Warren Park; see Dallas Arts District Guide: Museums, Concert Halls and How to Plan a Day.

Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo is open 364 days a year, closing only on Christmas Day, with hours that vary by season. General admission starts at $18 and varies by date, children 2 and under are free, and parking is $15. The zoo asks all guests to reserve tickets online. On Mondays and Tuesdays, showing a same-day DART pass at the gate takes $2 off general admission.

Dallas Arboretum

The Arboretum covers 66 acres, including the 8-acre Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. It allows picnics, strollers and wheelchairs throughout the gardens, and it lends complimentary wheelchairs at the ticket booth. Bring hats and sunscreen in warm weather; the Arboretum has a water bottle refill station and drinking fountains at every entrance.

Free family time

• Nasher Sculpture Center: Free First Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with family programming from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; children under 12 are always free.
• Dallas Museum of Art: free general admission, with a family-friendly space on Level 4 for snacks and bottle-feeding.
• Klyde Warren Park: free programming, including family events, most days.
• Dallas Farmers Market: Dallas’ Original Pumpkin Day every October, free for all ages.

Parks and trails for small legs

Shorter loop trails work best with young children. The 1.5-mile Glendale Park Loop, the 2-mile Crawford Memorial Park Loop and the 2.8-mile Kiest Park Loop all connect to playgrounds and picnic areas, according to Dallas Parks. The trail rules ask parents to keep small children out of the path of cyclists. Our Dallas Parks and Trails: The Best Walks, Rides and Nature Paths in the City has the full list.

Museum manners

The Dallas Museum of Art asks that children under 12 be supervised, that no one be carried on shoulders in the galleries and that visitors stay three feet from the art. No food or drink is allowed in its galleries, including baby bottles and snack cups, so use the family space or the cafe.

Beating the heat

• Do outdoor attractions first thing in the morning.
• Save museums for the hottest part of the afternoon.
• Carry water and refill it wherever you can.
• Keep a rainy-day backup; see Dallas on a Rainy Day: Museums and Indoor Places Worth the Trip.

Saving money as a family

Several attractions offer discounts if you plan ahead. The Dallas Zoo gives $2 off general admission for up to two adults and two children with a valid military ID, discounts for groups of 15 or more, and a $2 discount on Mondays and Tuesdays with a same-day DART pass. Dallas CityPASS bundles the zoo with three more attractions and, according to the zoo, saves up to 56% over nine days. Memberships at the zoo and the Perot Museum include free admission and, at the zoo, free parking, which can pay for itself in a few visits.

Arboretum rules worth knowing

The Arboretum does not allow bicycles in the garden, though it has bike stands in its parking lots, and it is a smoke-free garden. Phone and handheld photography is welcome during regular hours at no extra cost. Mobility scooters can be rented, and strollers are allowed everywhere, including the Children’s Adventure Garden. At the Dallas Museum of Art, the family space on Level 4 is open Thursday to Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

The zoo is also an easy morning outing because it sits right off the freeway at 650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway, and parking can be bought in advance with tickets to save time at the gate.

For more ideas that cost nothing, read Free Things to Do in Dallas: Museums, Parks, Trails and Markets That Cost Nothing.